An Overland Journey in Java

Indonesia's most populous island is home to bustling cities,
ancient religious ruins and bubbling volcanoes - one of which is
still a working sulphur mine and a truly otherworldly sight. Spend
12 days travelling overland by road and rail, from the heart of the
island to the Eastern tip, where it is just a short ferry journey
to beautiful Bali to conclude with a little beach bliss.

Itinerary at a Glance

Enjoy a serene sunrise at an ancient Buddhist Stupa

Observe and photograph two of Indonesia's most active
volcanoes

Relax on the beach on Bali's unspoiled north coast

Snorkel or scuba dive the vibrant reefs of Menjangan National
Park

Why Book with Original Travel?

Just a few of the extra touches that come as standard on an Original Travel holiday...

All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you

Depart from the UK on an indirect overnight flight to central
Java, travelling via Singapore.

Day 2: Yogyakarta

Begin your Indonesian adventure in Yogyakarta, where you will be
privately transferred from the airport to your hotel in the heart
of the city, or within the rice paddies and jungle of central Java.
Spend the rest of the day relaxing after your long flight.

This evening, discover local cuisine with guided gourmet
adventure around the local eateries of Yogyakarta. Your guide will
collect you and take you to your first stop, Milas Restaurant, a
unique venue which has been built in an old Javanese style, and is
set in a beautiful garden in the heart of the city. This is a
vegetarian restaurant, so your starter dish will follow suit.

You will travel by traditional 'becak' (cyclo) to a restaurant
near to the Kraton, where you will enjoy your main course. The
restaurant is located inside Prince Joyokusumo's House, together
with a café and a small museum, and serves authentic Javanese
cuisine.

Your journey will continue by becak to Alun-Alun Kidul, or 'the
South Square' which is famous for its sacred twin banyan trees.
This is a popular spot with the locals who gather here each
evening, and you'll likely see lots of colourful, lit odong odong
(go-karts).

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Be sure to finish your evening at the Chocolate Monggo Café; the chocolate here is locally made by a Belgian chocolatier and is famous around Indonesia – a suitably indulgent end to your foodie adventure.

Accommodation Options

After an early breakfast, your guide will collect you for the
half hour drive to the northern gates of Kotagede, a charming
village which is home to some of fine examples of Javanese
architecture. The village is also known as the 'Silver Village' due
to the number of silversmith artisans that call it home.

You'll start off with a short bicycle ride through the narrow
lanes of Kotagede to visit an artisan baker, where you can sample
some kembang waru - a type of cookie only made and sold in
Kotagede. Cycle on to the central market, to explore the bustling
alleys and towers of colourful produce before peddling on to visit
the oldest mosque in the Yogyakarta region, dating back to
1575.

Leave your trusty bicycle for a while, as you take a walking
tour through the labyrinth alleyways of Kota Gede, weaving between
the traditional Kalang architecture of the village, as well as
Javanese and Colonial style buildings.

After lunch, arts 'n' crafty types will love the village of
Giriloyo, which is an artisan Batik village - Javanese Batik is
even UNESCO listed. Another UNESCO listed Indonesian heritage is
the Keris dagger, which dates back to the 8th and you'll visit the
village of Banyusumurup where the intricate sheaths for keris
daggers are created. Here, you'll have the chance to take tea with
one of the most revered keris artisans in Java, and learn all about
this ancient art.

The last stop for today will be the village of Kasongan, which
is home to a group of 'kundis' (potters), who craft earthenware
jugs. This is a great place to pick up a souvenir directly from the
artisans, too.

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Accommodation Options

An early start is required today, as you travel to the beautiful
Buddhist Stupa of Borobudur in time to enjoy a serene sunrise. The
temple is at its most magical at this time, free from too many
other visitors, and with a view of the morning mist rising over the
surrounding Menoreh hills.

Borobudur is the largest Buddhist Temple in the world and a true
work of art. The Stupa is constructed from thousands of volcanic
and river stone blocks which were assembled by hand over 75 years
back in the 9th century. The carvings of Borobudur tell the story
of Ramayana over ten levels and circumambulations of the ten levels
of Borobudur will allow you to follow the story chronologically,
with help from your expert guide, of course.

Next up, visit the market near to Borobudur, which is at its
busiest in the morning, as the local people come to buy and sell
their produce.

Continue on to explore the smaller temples of Pawon and Mendut,
both of which are older than Borobudur before gaining an insight
into Javanese village life in Candijero. You'll travel along small
lanes by traditional 'dokar' (horse and cart) lined with
traditional houses and stop to see village activities such as
making cassava crackers and harvesting and drying chillies.

The rest of the day is at leisure to relax, and catch up on some
zzz's.

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In Candijero you might like to learn how to scale a coconut tree – or you could leave it to the experts to climb up and fetch you a fresh one to quench your thirst.

Accommodation Options

Additional Activities

Guided visit of Prambanan Temple Countryside cycling tour

Day 5: Surabaya

An early start will have you embarking on your train journey
eastwards to Surabaya, Java's 'second city' after capital Jakarta.
The journey by rail takes around five hours, and offers a great
chance to mingle with the locals on your travels.

After all of your early starts we've left this afternoon free to
relax. However, if you would like to explore with a local guide,
head to the Arab quarter and walk the maze-like streets to the
biggest Mosque in Surabaya, Al-Akbar. Whilst out and about you can
also spot the statues, which are sprinkled around the city in a
celebration of independence and bring life to the nickname
appointed to Surabaya, 'City of Heroes'.

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Additional Activities

Visit the House of Sampoena cigarette factory and museum Stroll
around the Arab Quarter with a local guide

Day 6: Mount Bromo

After a leisurely breakfast, you'll be transferred south to the
Bromo Tengger National Park.

Our favourite hotel is located 6000ft above sea level, making
for incredible views all around. Grab your camera, a book and a
drink and relax on one of the benches scattered around the
property. Get an early night tonight, as you'll be up pre-dawn
tomorrow!

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Accommodation Options

You'll get a wake-up call this morning to make sure you're up
and out of bed way before sunrise. Your guide will collect you from
your hotel by 4X4 for the drive up to a viewpoint level with the
summit of Mount Bromo; wrap up warm and get yourself in a good spot
for sunrise.

Watching the sun come up over the horizon, as light spreads
across the volcanic landscape, sea of sand and cone of Mount Bromo,
is an unforgettable sight.

Return to your hotel for breakfast before continuing your
journey east by train. You will have a private transfer to the
train station 90 minutes away to board the train to Bangyuwangi,
four hours away. A guide will meet you at the arrival station for
your hotel transfer of thirty minutes. The evening is at leisure to
relax.

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In daylight, you can cross the sea of sand and ascend on foot to the crater rim of Mount Bromo to take a peek inside – from a safe distance, of course!

Day 8: Bali Barat National Park

Another early start - the last for a while, we promise! - for
your morning trek to the rim of Ijen crater. Take the hour journey
by car through small agricultural villages and thick jungle with a
4WD jeep to reach the Paltuging base camp before embarking on the
approximate two mile trek to the top following a wide dirt
pathway.

On your way you'll pass flip-flop clad miners, carrying heavy
loads of acid yellow sulphurous rock from the large turquoise
Crater Lake. Upon reaching the crater rim, marvel at the
magnificent view across the vivid turquoise lake and steaming
volcanic vents.

Return to your hotel for breakfast before packing up and
beginning the journey to Bali for some R&R. The drive to the
port take just 30 minutes, from where you will board the public
ferry to Bali - a journey of around one hour. Your beach retreat is
just 40 minutes along the coast, located in the heart of a national
park. Settle in aaaaaand relax.

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The miners carve figurines out of the sulphuric rock to sell to visitors, which make nice keepsakes.

Accommodation Options

Today you'll enjoy a leisurely morning at the hotel then, come
afternoon, explore the beauty of the national park on
horseback.

The resort's trained staff will cater to your riding ability and
take you out on a beautiful trek after the heat of the midday sun
has passed. You will be treated to spectacular views of the forest
and beach, whilst listening to a commentary provided by
experts.

Accommodation Options

Additional Activities

Cycling or trekking through the jungle with a guide Kayaking
through the mangrove forest Bird watching Snorkelling and scuba
diving

Day 10: Bali Barat National Park

Ready yourself for a day in Bali's beautiful waters. The coastal
area located just off-shore from the resort is renowned for its
snorkelling and diving opportunities.

Spend an unforgettable day exploring the coral gardens and
dramatic reef walls housing a vast range of marine life. Visibility
is excellent, so you'll be able to spot plenty of marine life
including seahorses and reef sharks for a lucky few.

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A small number of beautiful Mandarin Fish often gather near to shore late afternoon - the perfect time for a snorkel off the beach!

Day 11: Bali Barat National Park

A day at leisure in the Bali Barat National Park; you can spend
your final holiday day doing as much or as little as you would
like.

For relaxation, perhaps visit the Mangrove spa for a dreamy
massage in an open air lagoon side bale. Those of a more active
disposition could opt to trek or cycle through the park in search
of birdlife, monkeys and Menjangan Deer, kayak through the mangrove
forest or swim from the jetty in crystalline ocean waters.

All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you

A Rough Idea of Price

While all of our holidays are completely tailor-made and prices will vary based on things like time of year and level of accommodation, we want to give you as good an idea of how much this itinerary will cost.

This Itinerary

If you would like to book the itinerary mentioned above, with economy flights, during mid-season and staying in our preferred room category at our preferred hotels.

From

£2,800pp

Bare Necessities

If you would like to pare back the above itinerary by travelling at non-peak times, staying in a standard room and removing some or all of the guided activities.

From

£2,380pp

Bells & Whistles

If you are looking for something extra special, we can discuss with you upgrading your accommodation, flights or activities.

From

£3,360pp

The guide prices shown are designed to provide you with a broad indication of how much to budget for your trip. There are a number of factors which will influence the price; these include the standard of accommodation, the season, the class of flights, the airline used and the level of private guiding versus shared excursions.

At Your Service

We rarely boast about our service but we believe it's what sets us apart and makes us truly original, so please forgive this moment of unabashed self-promotion.